Farrow rail



Aug. 17, 1926.v l1,596,078

, JQB. CLAY FARRow RAIL l Filed July l5 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l @www y Aug. 17

J.VB. CLAY FARRow RAIL iled July 15 s sheets-sheet' 2 Aug. 17 192,6.

Fatented Aug. 17,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPHB. CLAY, OF CEDAR FALLS, IOWA.

FARROW RAIL. i

Application filed July 15, 1921. Serial N0. 484,972.

My invent-ion belongs to thatl general class of devices known as farrow rails, and ref' lates particularly to a.

in hog pens or the like.

ari'ow rail iorvuse The invention has among its objects the production ot a device of the kind described that is simple, inexpensive, durable, reliable, sanitary, attractive, etlicient and satisfactory tor use wher--y ever found applicable.

It has particularly as an object the production of a device of the ,kind described which may be adjusted as desired, and which may be swung out of the way when saine. of the construction it is not desired to use the Many other objects and advantages herein shown and described will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination ot parts herein and more particularly claims.

shown and described,

pointed out in the In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding l is a. View in elevation of a portion with my device apview taken subst-anof Fig. 1; y sectional view taken substantially online-B of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1

Fig. 7 -is a view in bracket;

Fig. 8 is a sectional tially on line 8-8 ot parts enlarged;

elevation of a wall view taken substan- Fig. 1, showing the Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line lil- 1Q of Fig. 11;

` Fig. 11 is a plan view ot the parts shown in Fig. 10 as seen from Fig. 12 isa segtional view taken,suhstan-- tially onV line 12%-12 o above;

erigwi-and.;

which only' 1 represents a frame ofl suitable'size, shape and material which may carry the wire fabric or netting 2, the same constituting one of the enclosing walls of the pen. The several panels are supported, in the construction shown, by posts 3, or the equivalent, the panels being secured to the posts by fittings or brackets 4 and""5, or equivalent meansV for the purpose. In the construction shown, the panel is braced intermediate its ends by angle bars 6, which are secured to the frame 1 by fittings 7, vor their equivalents, said angle bars being spaced apart vas shown in Fig. 8.

arried by the walls of the enclosure, as for example bythe panel end trame 1, is a arrow rail 9, it being understood that the rails maybe arranged at one or both sides ot the panel, his depending upon. whether or not thevpanel divides the different pens. lVhere there is no pen on one side, 'the rail may be omitted at that side. As shown, cent the ends so that when in the position shown in FigjQ the saine is spaced throughn I out the greater partof its length from the As shown, the Vsame is pivotally secured to the panel or the equivalent, as for example, it may be secured to the uprights of the iframe in any suitable inanner. In the construction shown I provide cooperating bracket members 10 and 11 which are secured on the frame 1 by bolts 12 or their equivalents. One of the bracket parts, bracket 10, is extended, as at 13, so as to provide sockets or recesses into which the ends of the Yrails 9-9 are inserted and pivotally secured and supported.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated the tarrow railin operative position in the fulllines, and in dotted lines raised out of operative positon. The same may be supported and maintained in operative position in any suitable manner, the supporting means shown comprising the extending arm members 14 wall or partition.

each rail is bent or offset adjawhich are Acarried between the upperrand tively, said plates being arranged on the angle braces 6. Referring to Fig. 3, the plates or brackets 15 are secured to the angle braces 6 bybolts 17, the angle irons being provided with the desired number of holes so that the brackets may be supported at the desired height depending upon the desired distance of the brackets 10-11 from the floor and the desired position of the farrow rail. As shown, parts 14: are provided with journal posts 18, so that they may be pivotally carried by the brackets 15 and 16. The outer ends ofthe parts 14 are provided with means for clamping the farrow rail and holding it in operative position so as to be spaced from the panel, said clamping means comprising a jaw 20, preferably integral with said parts at their outermost ends, and a cooperating jaw member 21 pivoted at 22 to the jaw member 2O and adapted t0 encircle the farrow rail 9, as shown in Figs. 3 and 10. The jaw member 21 extends rearwardly of the pivotal axis 22 and forms a lever arm 28, said lever arm being preferably taperedV across its width so that a lock member 211, slidable on the horizontal web 25 of the part 14, may be moved or slid to both said members to release or clamp said pivotecl jaw member 21 about the farrow rail 9, depending upon which way said locking means 261 is moved. 'Ihe upper brackets 15 are not ixedly secured to the angle arms, but have a rearwardly extending web 8 terminating' in an outer ,enlarged head 8', said web being adapted to snugly and slidably t in the space between the opposed, parallel angle irons 6, thus preventing any side play or lateral movement of the bracket 15. The upper' `bracket 15 is provided with upturncd or hook ends 26, the tips of said upturned ends being'at greater radial distance from the pivotal axis of the farrow rail than the central or midportion of said rail so that after" the rail hasbeen released from the holding jaws, it may be swung upwardly over the .ends 26 and held in place against the angle irons 6. The parts 14 are provided with projections or auxiliary arms 27 near their upper ends, said auxiliary arms being adapted to abut the rail 9 when said rail is held in its inoperative position in the brackets 15. When it is desired to place or position the farrow rails in inoperative position, as indicated in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, the jaws 20 and 21 are released by sliding the lockingrrmember-24 and the part 14 is swung against `the panel, permitting the yieldable rail 9 `to be swung' upwardly and sprung overt'he kend 15, against the bars 6- ;The part ls Gai-mot be swung outwardly from the 4panel section, as this is prevented by the projection 2?- abu-tt-ing against the inoperative rail V.9, hence -therelis no danger of the jaws or l other portions of the arrns ever being extended when the rail is inoperative and causing damage or injury to the occupants of the pen. v.

llilhile I have particularly illustrated the device in Figs. 1 to 6 as applied to a steel or similar enclosure or fence, the same, where desired, may be applied to the wall of a building or other support by means of bracketslike that shown in Fig. 7. In this case 28 represents the bracket corresponding to a half of the brackets or iittings 10-11. The same is similar to the brackets previously described, except that it is provided with a flat flange whereby it may be secured in place by bolts or screws 29, or equivalent means for the purpose. In this ca se the plate or brackets 15 and 16 may be secured directly to the wall intermediate the brackets 28. Obviously, this construction operates in a similar manner to the other construction described.

rIhe rail herein shown is not only exceedingly simple, convenient and eiiicient, but it it also sanitary and attractive. It may be adjusted necessary, depending upon the of the hog, etc., and may be made ofthe desired sizes to fit the various sized pens. It will be particularly noted that as the same is constructed, none of the farrow rails interfere and they may bie-operated singly or all together as desired. Where the rail is not necessary, the same may be raised to an inoperative position, giving that much additional room in the pen, as

well as facilitating cleaning. 'Ihe fastenings are so simple that the rails may be easily adjusted or removed at will. Vhen the pen, however, contains a litter of pigs, the rails about the inside of the pen may be placed in operative position, thereby preventing the small pigs from vbeing crushed, rolled on and smothered, or otherwise injured Having thus described my invention, it is obvions that various other immaterial modifications may bemade Vin the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting .myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

`What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a rail having parts offset laterally at its ends, means for pivotally supporting said rail at said ends, and means movable independently of said rail about an axis transversely of the pivotal axis of said rail for detachably engaging said-rail inter,-A mediate its ends and supporting it in operative position.

2. In .a device o f the vkind described and in combination, a Wall mit inclusie-s a frame and means for securing the same in place, a farrow rail and Ymeans for pivotally supporting the same at each end of the frame, said rail being oiiiset adjacent each end outwardly from the section, and adjustable means carried pivotally by thesection and separate from said pivotally supporting means and extending laterally therefrom for detachably engaging said rail inte 1mediate its ends and support-ing the same in operative position. l

3. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a tence unit including a frame, brackets arranged at each end of said frame and provided with recesses therein at each side of the trame, tarrow rails arranged at each side of said frame with their ends positioned in the recesses in said brackets, said rails being odset adjacent the ends whereby the same are spaced from the fence unit between the ends, a brace bar connect-r ing the top and bottom sides of the trame of the tence unit, and arms arrangedv on each side of the unit carried by said brace bar for supporting said rails in operative relation with the frame, said arms being movable against the frame whereby the rails maybe moved out of operative position.

4. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a fence unit including a frame, brackets arranged at each end of said frame and each provided with recesses therein at each side of the frame, farrow rails arranged at each side of said frame with their ends disposed in the recesses in said brackets, said rails oliset adjacent the ends whereby the same are spaced from the fence unit between the ends, a bar extending between the top and bottom sides of the frame of the fence unit, and arms arranged on each side of the section and pivotally carried by said bar for maintaining said rails in operative relation with the trame, said arms independently movable against the frame, whereby either one of the rails may be moved out of operative position.

5. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a farrow rail, means at each end for pivotally supporting said rail, and means for maintaining the rail'in operative position spa-ced from the enclosure wall, comprising an arm mounted upon said supporting means and hinged on an axis.

transverse of the pivotal aXis of said rail so as to be swung out of the way of the rail when the rail is dropped and lprovided with mea-ns for detachably engaging and holding said rail. i

5. In a device of the kind described and in combination. a tarrow rail, means at each end for pivotally supporting the rail, and means for maintaining the rail in operative position spaced Jfrom the enclosure wall, comprising a hinged arm mounted between said supporting means, and provided with ypivoted clamped jaws ordetachably holding the rail. i 7L I" a device ot the kind described and in combination, a tarrow rail, means at each end for pivotally supportimg` the rail, and means tor maintaining the rail in operative position spaced from the enclosure wall, comprising a hinged arm mounted between said supporting means, and provided with a jaw for detachably supporting the rail, a second jaw member pivoted to said arm and cooperating with said first mentioned jaw to clamp said rail therebetween, and means for holding said jaws in operative position. f.

8. In a device or" the kind described and in combination, a farrow rail, means at each end for pivotally supporting the rail, and

' means for maintaining the rail in operative position spaced from the enclosure wail, comprising a hinged arm mounted between supporting means, and provided with a jaw 'for detachably supporting the rail, second jaw member pivoted vto said arm and cooperating with said first mentioned jaw to clamp -said rail therebetween, and having a tapered lever arm extending rearwardly from the rail engaging end, and means slidably engageable with said lever arm to move saidfjaws relatively of each other for clamping and releasing said rail therebetween.

9. In a device ol3 the kind described and in combination, a fence unit including a trame, brackets arranged at the ends of said frame, a'farrow rail pivotally supported at its ends in said brackets, said rail being offset laterally at its ends, means adapted to be moved into operative position for engaging said rail and supporting` it iny operative position and to be moved to inoperative position to permit said rail to drop, and

means for supporting said railafter it has been swung upwardly to its inoperative poi sition and maintaining it in said position.

10. In a device ot the kind described and in combination, a 1fence unit including va frame, brackets arranged at the ends of said frame, a arrow rail pivot-ally supported at its ends in said brackets, said rail being oliset laterally at its ends, a brace bar connecting the top and bottom of said trame, means for engaging'V and supporting said rail in operative position, and hook means carried by said brace bar for engaging and supporting said rail afterA it has been swung upwardly to its inoperative position, the outer end of said hook being` at a greater distance Jtrom the pivotal axis of the farrow rail than the hook-engaged portion of the rail, whereby the rail must be sprung in place over said hook.

11.111 a device of the kind described and in combination, a Jfence unit including aframe, brackets arranged at the ends ot lUU said framea a farrow rail pivotally -supsaid arm having means thereon engageable ported at its ends in said brackets, said rail with said rail in its inoperative position to 10 being offset laterally at its ends, a pivotally prevent the accidental pivotal movement of mounted arm for engaging and supporting the arin and holding it against the frame.

said rail in operative position, said arm iie- In testimony whereof, l have hereunto ing movable against the frame, and means signed my name.

for supporting said rail after it has been swung upwardly to its operative position, JOSEPH B. CLAY. 

